Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 head garlic
- 3 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise, quartered lengthwise if large
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 of a stick), softened
- 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound organic pastured whole chicken
- Toasted rustic bread or baguette, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. Separate the head of garlic but leave the cloves in the skins. Remove the skins from 4 cloves of garlic, finely chop them and place them in the bottom of a small bowl. Place the rest of the cloves of garlic with the skins still on in the center of a standard sheet pan. Add the shallots to the sheet pan and set aside.
- Add the parsley, butter, smoked paprika, chipotle pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the garlic in the bowl. Use a spoon or your hands to mash the mixture into a paste. Set aside.
- Lay the chicken on a cutting board breast-side down, with the legs closest to you. Make sure to remove any innards in the package and use paper towels to pat the chicken dry. Using a good quality set of kitchen shears to cut down one side of the backbone. Then proceed with the other side of the backbone. Discard the backbone or save for another use. Open the chicken to reveal the ribs and sternum. Use the kitchen shears to cut about 1 inch vertically up both sides of the sternum. Flip the chicken over and use your hands and body weight to flatten the breasts and rib cage. Tuck the wings under.
- Massage the butter mixture all over the chicken including under the skin. Season the chicken skin all over with more salt and pepper. Let rest for 20 minutes.
- Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F°, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving. Serve the chicken with peeled garlic cloves, shallots, and bread.